Buzzing Suggestions?

[Bluegrasscal_87]

I just recently purchased a new Loar LM520. For the first few weeks everything was fine. However, I've noticed that it has developed a pretty significant buzz when pressing just the 3rd and 4th fret spaces on the A strings. No other string set has this issue. Any suggestions on what might be causing it and how I might fix it?

[pheffernan]

You don't indicate where you live, or where you bought the instrument, but my first thought would be that the mandolin has adjusted to its new home environment and might need to be humidified.

[pops1]

Could be a loose or high fret, or it's drier where you are at and the top settled and your action is lower so any slight problem will start to be noticed.

[MikeEdgerton]

Frank Ford has this Buzz Diagnosis page on his site www.frets.com. Start with it and let us know what you find out.

[mandobassman]

When I first bought my J Bovier, I had some buzzing during the first few weeks. Turned out to be a small adjustment to the truss rod. No buzzing since.

[Bluegrasscal_87]

Purchased from NV, live in eastern NC.

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You don't indicate where you live, or where you bought the instrument, but my first thought would be that the mandolin has adjusted to its new home environment and might need to be humidified.

Purchased from NV, live in eastern NC.

[pheffernan]

Purchased from NV, live in eastern NC.

If the mandolin started at the humidity-controlled shop of Robert Fear at FolkMusician.com, and has travelled to a cold winter climate with dry interior heating, then it might be shedding moisture. I would look to house it in its case with a humidifier and see if the buzz subsides.

[Bluegrasscal_87]

If the mandolin started at the humidity-controlled shop of Robert Fear at FolkMusician.com, and has travelled to a cold winter climate with dry interior heating, then it might be shedding moisture. I would look to house it in its case with a humidifier and see if the buzz subsides.

Yep, that's where it came from . I'll try a humidifier and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestion!

[pops1]

Or I would simply raise the saddle a little till it quits buzzing or to the height you would like to see.

[Bluegrasscal_87]

Yep, that's where it came from . I'll try a humidifier and see if that helps. Thanks for the suggestion!

Just wanted to update you, pheffernan, the humidifier seemed to help. I also added some grommets behind the bridge and that seemed to help too, oddly enough.

[B381]

I'm from nc as well and the weather can act strange here. My wife bought a couple of those oil defusers and runs them a lot to make the house nice. The fact is the are just little humidifiers. When it hasn't been run in a day or so I can tell as my mandolin will be out of tune from just hanging on the stand, when they are run I tune a lot less.

[Bluegrasscal_87]

The buzz came back this week, even after being humidified. But, I'm happy to report that I figured out what it is. Turns out it was the cover of the tail piece. When pushed all the way up, it was actually a bit loose and would buzz at certain string frequencies. Once I readjusted the cover back a bit, to a tighter position, the buzzing has stopped.

Thanks for all of your input.